Jury duty and security measures...

[gwpercle]

What a coincidence, I served jury duty this week also. Had the same experience with security , although I didn't like all the searching ,belt removal and taking everything out of my pockets , but I wouldn't want any of the bad guy's friends/relatives smuggling in guns. Witnesses have been murdered before they could testify and the bad guys don't shoot that well. Innocent bystanders get killed or injured more often than the intended target. Last week 2 bad guys were shooting at 2 unarmed guys... they killed a 5 year old girl and wounded 2 other children at a birthday party and killed a 31 year old mother driving a car down the block . Guess who they didn't hit?
If a shooting broke out I'm sure more jurors would get it than intended targets.
It's amazing how some people never get called and others like me get called regularly. I've served on 4 Parish juries and 1 Grand Jury.... just lucky I guess. And the pay $12.00 a day, that makes it worthwhile.

 

[Cyrano]

I became a civilian, and thus eligible for jury duty in 1973. They took the names from the voting rolls, which encouraged a lot of people not to vote since they didn't want jury duty. Didn't matter to me: it came around every 3-4 years. Then they widened it to include the vehicle registration rolls, and created a great mess: was the Francisco Jimenez on the vehicle registration the same as Francis X. Jimenez on the voting rolls? They finally got it straightened out and jury duty began to come around every 5 years. I had some interesting cases, and wouldn't have tried to avoid jury duty. However when I turned 72 and they took my name off the rolls I did have a sense of relief.

I was not impressed by the security afforded by the baliffs; the only one I remember being armed was carrying a Mauser HSc, an interesting weapon but not what I'd consider a serious weapon for protecting a jury.

I sat on a few interesting cases. Once we were sequestered during a rape trial that got a lot of publicity in El Paso. A couple of very well dressed business ladies were selected for the jury; I got a lot of quiet amusement thinking of how they'd look the next morning in outfits their husbands picked out. We found him guilty, and while in prison he made the mistale of boasting to a snitch about what he'd done to some girls out in the desert. He's facing execution now.

 

[Road Rat]

I cringe every time I hear of the freedoms we have been stripped of in the name of "security".

These days we have neither!!!!!!!!

 

[A10]

I've been summoned several times, mostly when I was a cop. Needless to say, I was excused!

Lately, though, both my honey and I have been summoned every two years. She served on one jury, I continue to be dismissed. Sometimes it pays to be an old fat white guy with short hair and wearing a suit. Seems like a lot of defense attorneys have a "spidey sense" about me. Oh, and I still have my 80s cop moustache....old habits die hard!

 

[Clean Break]

I've been summoned 3 times, selected twice and elected foreman one of those times. I was just summoned again for an eleven day go this summer. I think justice is important. Ever spend much time in Central America? Ever been around and talked with people who've been victimized for generations by dictators where they dont have functioning juries? Do you know what then makes justice? Machine guns, jeeps and polished boots.

I think having a high quality jury is crucial. I'm glad whackjobs get searched & I want my bailiff armed and well practiced. Many of you complain about jury duty or court room security. Let's keep those there that take these obligations seriously, safe. A citizen jury is a direct check and balance to the police, the lawyers, the judge and the legislators who coin our laws. Somebody's got to watch the henhouse/slaughterhouse and help pool knowledge, common sense, and decency to make sure some of the people are given a fair shake at least some of the time. CB

 

[silentflyer]

I was summoned once, put through the 59 questions bit, was a bit baffled when a series of questions about hunting/firearm/handguns were ask by the defense attorney. I was sent home, I later ask a LEO friend why. Turns out the pending case involved some low life shooting his wife "accidentally" with a 1911 while cleaning it. The LEO take was the defense attorney didn't want anyone who knew anything about firearms on the jury, with the grip safety on a 1911 an "accidental" discharge is a tough sell. Anyway he ended up getting 25 years for shooting his wife ,right in front of his kids after an argument with her. I would have held out for the electric chair for him.

 

[straightshooter1]

Sometimes the Bad Guys do come to visit

Perhaps some of the members from the TampaBay area recall the fellow who came to the St. Pete Court House about four years ago.

When he could not get in without passing through security, he pulled the firearm he had concealed on his person and began shooting at the bailiffs.

Though he got off the first shots, they got off the final ones.

Who knows what would have happened inside the building if there had been no security there?

I'll put up with a small inconvenience in this case. I don't want the nut jobs and defendants' friends in there without being thoroughly checked for weapons.

Bob

 

[mkk41]

Here in PA , the courts have (or are supposed to have) lock boxes for those who have a LTCF to check and lock their weapons.
Ya don't want to lock yer guns in yer cars at my county courthouse. They routinely get broken into.

 

[blujax01]

I've been summoned 3 times, selected twice and elected foreman one of those times. I was just summoned again for an eleven day go this summer. I think justice is important. Ever spend much time in Central America? Ever been around and talked with people who've been victimized for generations by dictators where they dont have functioning juries? Do you know what then makes justice? Machine guns, jeeps and polished boots.

I think having a high quality jury is crucial. I'm glad whackjobs get searched & I want my bailiff armed and well practiced. Many of you complain about jury duty or court room security. Let's keep those there that take these obligations seriously, safe. A citizen jury is a direct check and balance to the police, the lawyers, the judge and the legislators who coin our laws. Somebody's got to watch the henhouse/slaughterhouse and help pool knowledge, common sense, and decency to make sure some of the people are given a fair shake at least some of the time. CB

Thank you!

Called twice, served twice. Would do it again without hesitation.

Why? It's called Civic Duty. Part of the cost (and the privilege) of being a citizen of these United States.

 

[Alpo]

Perhaps some of the members from the TampaBay area recall the fellow who came to the St. Pete Court House about four years ago.

When he could not get in without passing through security, he pulled the firearm he had concealed on his person and began shooting at the bailiffs.

Though he got off the first shots, they got off the final ones.

Who knows what would have happened inside the building if there had been no security there?

I'll put up with a small inconvenience in this case. I don't want the nut jobs and defendants' friends in there without being thoroughly checked for weapons.

Bob

They must do things different in Tampa than up here in Panyma.

Last time I was at the courthouse I felt like I was getting on an airplane. Take off my coat, my belt and my boots. Finally had to send my glasses through, 'cause the stupid machine was going off on my metal frames. I'm surprised it didn't pick up the gold in my teeth.

That's not a "small inconvenience", that's a major pain in the butt.

 

[DeadAye]

.... A citizen jury is a direct check and balance to the police, the lawyers, the judge and the legislators who coin our laws. Somebody's got to watch the henhouse/slaughterhouse and help pool knowledge, common sense, and decency to make sure some of the people are given a fair shake at least some of the time. CB

My girlfriend AND her roommate were put on a Grand Jury for a year.
They voted to indite EVERYONE that was brought before the GJ!
Why?
Because the prosecuting attorney was *cute*, dressed very nicely, and *wouldn't lie*.

THIS IS FOR REAL! I haven't trusted *The System* since.

 

[Road Rat]

I'll put up with a small inconvenience in this case. I don't want the nut jobs and defendants' friends in there without being thoroughly checked for weapons.

Bob

Bob, it isn't the small inconvenience that bothers me....it is the total butthole attitude of the "security officers". Yes, they have a job to do but being a little polite doesn't cost anything!!

 

[feralmerril]

I spent my life as a security guard. Over 35 years and must have worked with well over a 1,000 guards. Thats with every type of background and personality. You almost could make a hobby of studying the different temperments with body build, age, etc. and perdict how they did their job. In my estimation the retired gray headed old cop working his secound career was the best to work with. They were laid back and did the job with common sense their way, not nessesarly letter perfect by the book. The most aggervating was thin nervous ambitious young guys. I noticed retired military tended to go strictly by the book moreso than the rest of us. The problem with the book is it cant cover every situation you run in to. By "book" I mean old yellow orders posted on the wall that were or should have been obsolite 10 years ago. My job was different than the average guard job as many posts involved goverment contract work and we were watched and tested perioticly by their plaincloths type. Someone might flash you a picture ID with mickey mouse on it. Or you might go to a alarm and find a guy standing there looking at his watch timeing you. I had assignments guarding "articles" alone nights in the middle of the dessert and you might have a "spook" try to get to it. What I am saying here is that many times a guard will make you do what you think is redickulous, but he is trying to safeguard his job as he might well have HIS boss standing there chatting with him in plain cloths. Ive had it happen more times than I can count. Once my captain was chatting with me at a gate. A guy walked past me, got in maybe 20 yards then walk back and showed me his badge the secound time and say, here officer, I forgot to show you my badge! I just laughed at him and said nice try, you had showed it the first time or you wouldnt have got in. Some people hate any kind of authority. I was assigned one post where maybe 300 people would be waiting for me to open up a series of double doors in the morning to go to work. I would be swarmed and have to check all ids with a mass of people comeing through the chutes. One guy tried to get through without showing his pass. When I called him on it he lied and claimed he showed it to me. Okay, that was possible, but he tried it twice more in a couple mornings. I was on to his game or problem. About the third morning he tried it again. I pulled him aside and we argued about it while 50 more workers went through that I couldnt closely check. I told the guy I wasnt going to let him in now even though he had a badge. He demanded to see my captain. I called my chief and he told me over the phone to let the guy in. I told the chief, "B.S.!" If you want to let him in, you come down here and let him in, because I wont! He did, and he didnt get on me about it either. The strange part is I guess the worker respected me for it and later became a friend! The guy looked exactly like anthony quinn.
Once I had a employee complain to me about another guard that I worked with. He said, "He treats us like prisioners!" I busted up laughing, the guard was a retired federal prision guard!

 

[sierra255]

I have been called several times, and have to go through the sceening process before being admitted to the courthouse. Once inside, I sit through the same movie "It's your duty" etc. etc. with a hundred other folks who whine and cry about being there. Once I fill out the info. card ie: retired cop, knows everyone in the DA's office, and all defendents arrested by LEO are guilty, I use to go home. Now, they ship me over to the "civil side" and end up with some guy/gal suing a doctor. So, next time I am called, it's Retired (no LEO mention) everyone is presumed innocent and has a right to a trial, and know nobody. Once inside the courtroom, the defendent has to be guilty because a brother/sister LEO made the arrest, and I will let the defense attorney or judge throw me out.

The guy/gal suing the doctor caper took four day's of my time, and I was the forman, Never Again!

 

[M29since14]

...After two weeks of trial I begin to think everyone except the Bailiff had been not telling the whole truth. After 8 hours of deliberation and a verdict I'm still not 100% sure what the verdict SHOULD have been. I strongly suspect that the most influential evident was suppressed for one reason or another.

"... not telling the whole truth," eh? I had a similar experience in a civil trial (auto accident), though mercifully my torment only lasted 2-1/2 days. I think most of us go into a courtroom for the first time expecting to see truth and honor well represented, and what we immediately find is the biggest collection of liars and connivers you have come into contact with up to that point. An honorable, honest man doesn't stand much of a chance, from what I have seen.

Anyway, after we rendered our verdict and were dismissed, the bailiff came by and asked us if we would stay for a few minutes so the lawyers and judge could ask us some questions. We assumed that meant we had to, so we said we would.

They were curious to know about our reactions and decisions we made based on events during the trial. I had the dubious honor of being captain. For some reason the other jurors were happy to let me speak for them, except for maybe one or two older jurors who were even more disgusted with the whole show than I was.

The lawyers asked several questions about our reaction to so-called expert testimony (involving physicians). Most of this was poor quality video. The doctors couldn't be bothered to appear in person. I told them, basically, that we didn't believe much that we heard from these "experts," nor much from the other witnesses, and that we certainly did not think the lawyers representing either side were consistently acting in the interests of justice. Silence. I was just young and dumb enough then to actually say that (as politely as I could), but all my fellow jurors nodded their heads in agreement. We were fed up with the whole lot of them.

I didn't necessarily mean it to, but that put a noticeable damper on the fun and games. After a few seconds of hemming and hawing, the judge interrupted the silence to thank us for our service and told us we were free to go.

By the time we were done, we were all disgusted with everyone in the courtroom, including the plaintiff herself. The jury found for the plaintiff and awarded $18,000. The plaintiff had asked for $4,000,000, I believe. The defense had offered an out of court settlement of $50,000, before the trial began. It was a total waste of time for everyone involved, but I guess it had to be done.

I realize this story is shameless thread drift and I do apologize for that, but every time I think of this silly incident, I still tend to get a little upset about it - not because of the time wasted, but because our attempts to serve the interests of justice were constantly being thwarted in one way or another. I am all for keeping the courtrooms safe. I am not sure everything I see is worthwhile, but I realize that when any government agency has authority over something, they invariably behave like all they have to work with is a hammer. While I am thinking about it, I am going to order one of those NRA shirts like John's.

 

[feralmerril]

When we watch trials like oj`s, john edwards and casey anthonys it doesnt do much for our faith in jurys either. I remember johnny cockrans ex wife saying he told her, "If he could get just one black on the jury, he had the case won!

 

[S&WIowegan]

Jury Duty

I take it seriously and don't try to duck out. I have been called in every jurisdiction I lived in since 1971. My wife has been with me the entire time and has been called once.

I have only been selected once and it was a criminal case. We convicted but it was a more difficult verdict than the facts warranted. Twelve people hear things differently and may well bring their own legal ideas to bear.

Around here people who don't want to be selected wear lots of NRA clothing or Harley Davidson stuff.

 

[COL Jagdog]

My girlfriend AND her roommate were put on a Grand Jury for a year.
They voted to indite EVERYONE that was brought before the GJ!
Why?
Because the prosecuting attorney was *cute*, dressed very nicely, and *wouldn't lie*.

THIS IS FOR REAL! I haven't trusted *The System* since.

A good district attorney should be able to indict a ham sandwich (as the saying goes).

 

[straightshooter1]

Alpo:

No, they do things the same way here. Real deputies work the security, and they are very thorough.

But, shouldn't they be thorough? Didn't you see that Bruce Willis movie where the porcelain Glocks would pass right through a metal detector?

 

[Alpo]

While I was standing there undressing, five guys wearing suits (I presume they were lawyers) pulling hand trucks loaded down with file boxes came in, and went around the metal detector. Also the FedEx guy and the UPS guy came in, with hand trucks loaded down with stuff. They also went around the detector. Ain't no tellin' what might have been in them boxes. But they had me take off my boots because the eyelets set off their machine.

That's not security. That's "we're pretending it's security".

If they were really serious about security, EVERYBODY that walked through the door would go through that thing. Lawyers, judges, employees, cops, FedEx, everybody. As long as somebody can go around it, it's not secure. It's just a game they are playing.